Homeowner Advice

General tips and advice for homeowners covering maintenance, seasonal tips and everyday property care.

Spring Into April With These Home DIY jobs

20th March 2020

Feeling a little flat after the long winter? You can brighten up your home and garden without spending a fortune. The best bit? You don’t need to be an expert handyman or gardener to do it! Here are our top five things that you can do when you are time-rich but cash poor.

Plant bulbs

There are few things more optimistic than spring flowers bobbing their colourful heads in the garden. If you didn’t manage to plant bulbs in the winter, don’t despair; you can buy established flowers and plant them out. This is a great time of year to pick up indoor hyacinth pots – especially as many garden centres and even supermarkets have them on special offer. Enjoy their blooms inside, then plant them out when they have finished flowering; they will return in full colour next year.

Not green fingered? We know that gardening isn’t for everyone – check out our list of rated, reviewed gardeners in your area.

Sort out your wardrobe

Bored of your bobbly jumpers and winter clothes? Maybe it’s time to have a good sort out. Pack up your winter clothes and make space for spring ones. Rediscover old favourites that you haven’t worn since last autumn and throw away the things that haven’t seen the light of day for years. We all have aspirational clothes – ones that we hope to fit into one day, or bought because it was a bargain and MIGHT wear ONE day… Recycle them, upcycle, donate them or bin them – if you haven’t worn them for more than a year, you’re unlikely to wear them again.

Storage problems? Complete your clear out with a wardrobe created to meet your storage needs – get in touch with a local carpenter and let your imagination run wild?

Paint

How often have you looked at the chipped, greying, marked paintwork in your home and added it (again) to your mental to-do list? Now is the time to get it done! It doesn’t have to cost a lot – white ceilings and magnolia walls are a perfect canvas – add some colourful artwork and soft furnishings and you have a stylish, revamped space for as little as the cost of a few tins of paint!

If cutting in isn’t your forte and you’re not a fan of a roller, don’t despair! We can help you to find friendly, reliable painters and decorators near you.

Deep clean

Unless you’re Monica from Friends or you are lucky enough to have a cleaner, it is likely that you have the odd grubby corner (the window sill that you always forget to dust, behind the sofa…). Treat spring as a chance to deep clean your home. Move furniture, scrub your carpets, clean windows and wash curtains and cushion covers. You’ll be able to welcome the warmer days in feeling bright, clean and organised!

Taking care of your home may seem a little daunting, but there are plenty of things that you can do, even if you have limited experience and budget. For more tips, or for help finding a tradesperson that you really can trust, follow Trust A Trader on Facebook or Twitter.

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Looking for more homeowner advice advice?

Find clear, practical answers to common homeowner advice questions, helping homeowners understand everyday issues, know what checks they can carry out safely, and when it is best to contact a qualified professional.

What home repairs should I never attempt myself?

Gas work - full stop. Any work on gas appliances must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer by law. Structural changes like removing walls, altering roof timbers, or touching anything load-bearing need professional assessment and often Building Regulations sign-off. Electrical work involving the consumer unit or new circuits must meet Part P. And if your property was built before 2000, be aware asbestos may be present - it can only be handled by a licensed specialist.
Which home improvements add the most value to a property?

Improvements that add usable space or modernise the rooms buyers scrutinise most tend to deliver the strongest returns. Loft conversions consistently top the list - adding a bedroom and bathroom can add more value than the work costs in many areas. Kitchen and bathroom updates are next. Open-plan ground-floor extensions connecting to a kitchen-diner have become one of the most sought-after layouts in UK family homes. And energy improvements - insulation, a new boiler, solar panels - are increasingly influencing buyer decisions as running costs become a bigger part of the conversation.
Should I renovate my home or move house?

There's no universal right answer - it depends on your situation. Moving gets you what you want without living through a building site, but stamp duty, estate agent fees, and moving costs can easily add up to tens of thousands of pounds. Renovating lets you stay put and invest in your own property, but comes with disruption and unexpected costs. The most useful comparison: get a clear view of what your home could realistically be worth after the work, and what a move would actually cost end to end. A local estate agent and a builder's quote can give you those two numbers.
What does a home survey actually cover and do I need one when buying?

A survey is an independent assessment of a property's condition carried out by a qualified surveyor - separate from the mortgage valuation, which only tells the lender what the property is worth, not what's wrong with it. A HomeBuyer Report flags visible defects and anything that needs further investigation. A Full Building Survey goes deeper and is worth the extra cost on older, larger, or unusual properties. Given that a house is likely the biggest purchase you'll ever make, skipping the survey to save a few hundred pounds is a false economy - a single missed issue can cost far more to put right.
What should I do before starting any major home improvement project?

Get your paperwork in order before anyone picks up a tool. Check whether you need planning permission or Building Regulations approval. Find out whether a Party Wall Agreement applies. Confirm your home insurance covers you during the works. Get at least three written quotes and make sure the scope of work is clearly agreed in writing with whoever you hire. And have a contingency budget - on almost any renovation, something unexpected comes up. The projects that go smoothly are usually the ones that were properly planned before they started.
What is the difference between freehold and leasehold and why does it matter for home improvements?

If you own the freehold, you own the property and the land it sits on outright - you can generally do what you like subject to planning rules. If you own a leasehold property (common with flats), you own the right to live there for the remaining lease term, but the freeholder owns the building. This matters for home improvements because many leases require you to get the freeholder's written permission before making alterations - sometimes even internal ones. Always check your lease before starting any work, as doing alterations without the required consent can cause problems when you come to sell.

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